This story contains graphic descriptions of a violent incident.
Sitting on the top step outside her unit, Joanne Hall clutches her knees close and watches on as detectives look for witnesses to a horror overnight attack in Warrawong. She lives in the same public housing block on Todd Street where a 25-year-old man was allegedly doused in petrol and set alight during a home invasion.
The attack left him fighting for life, and he was airlifted to hospital. A man has since been arrested in relation to the incident. As fire seared his body, the man ran downstairs and outside towards the common grassed area in the complex, collapsing in the car park.
"I saw him when the fire was out, he rolled on the grass," Joanne said. "His whole body was burnt, all his skin was off and he was trying to get up... He was moving and saying 'help me sis' to one of the Koori girls who was here. I just started crying."
Resident Andrew Aitchison also saw the man writhing in pain after the attack, which occurred about 9pm on Monday, May 11. "I saw old mate walking, he was really burnt. His t-shirt was burnt and stuck to him... He was severely burnt... He was screaming a lot in pain," Andrew said.
As residents rushed to help, Andrew tried to assist the burnt man to sit down. "I went to grab his hands to sit him down... but I worried if I held his hands the skin would come off," he said. "Everybody was tipping cold water on him."
Victim known as a harmless musician
Just a few hours earlier, the victim had been playing guitar and singing, a favourite hobby of his, Joanne said. "He plays guitar and likes to sing. He was sitting out there playing and singing last night and making us laugh. He's harmless," she said.
Despite the crime that sometimes plagues the public housing block, Joanne is still in shock that something so violent happened so close to where she lives. "I keep seeing his body, it won't stop," she said.
Along with some of the other residents, they went looking for the alleged offender after the attack but failed to find him.
Long-term resident speaks of survival tactics
Ruth Manskie has lived in the Todd Street block for 25 years and has learned to keep her head down to stay away from trouble. "It's ok, you have to know who to mix with and who not to mix with," she said. "It's pretty safe here, I stick to myself. They all know me, they do respect me, even the Koori people call me aunty."
Joanne said she hates living there and wants to move on. "This is just disgusting, I want to get out of here. My kids don't want to visit me. There's too many junkies and needles, it's disgusting," she said.
After 10 years at the block, Andrew is also keen to move. "I've lived here too long," he said.
During a public appeal for information into the alleged attack, NSW Police Detective Chief Inspector Brad Ainsworth said the block is well known to police and emergency services personnel. "Domestics, antisocial behaviour, drugs, you name it," he said of some of the crimes that occur there. "It's a regular place where police get called to."
Police have urged anyone with information about the incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
